Bernina Express: unforgettable journey across one of the highest railways in the world

Bernina Express railway passes through the Alps connecting Italy and Switzerland. This is one the highest railway in Europe and one of the most favorite touristic routes. Through the large windows you can admire the stunning views of the mountains covered with the snow almost all year round. Mountains look great in any season, but in winter this place is absolutely fantastic!

Landwasser viaduct is 65 meters high. A special red train adds a bright accent into traditional white and snowy landscape

Photo: Germán Saavedra Rojas/flickr (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

The railway connects the city of Chur in the eastern part of Switzerland with Tirano in northern Italy. This is the highest railway in Europe

Photo: By Kabelleger / David Gubler (http://www.bahnbilder.ch) (Own work: http://www.bahnbilder.ch/picture/7458) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: By GabrielleMerk (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The train runs over 145 km within four hours. This is the distance between the start and end stations. The railway reaches a height of 2250 m above the sea level. It also ranks as the highest adhesion railway of the continent

Photo: By Kabelleger / David Gubler (Own work: http://www.bahnbilder.ch/picture/215) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: By Kabelleger / David Gubler (Own work: http://www.bahnbilder.ch/picture/1466) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The highest point is on the Bernina Pass (in Switzerland) reaches 2253 m above the sea level. And the lowest one is just 429 m above the sea level in Tirano (Italy). This is the unique adventure which allows you to see glaciers and palm trees on the same line!

Photo: By Etsius (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Kabelleger / David Gubler (http://www.bahnbilder.ch) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

In 2008, 10 panoramic cars designed by the Pininfarina Studio were put on the rails so that you could fully enjoy the fairytale landscapes

Photo: By Kabelleger / David Gubler (http://www.bahnbilder.ch) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Vasile Cotovanu (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Engineers from all over the world worked on the construction of this complex route which crosses bridges and viaducts, and hides in tunnels (sometimes rather long ones!)

Photo: Emanuele (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)

Photo: Miroslav Volek (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

The train runs just 2,5 km across Italy. The rest of the way is across Switzerland

Photo: Miroslav Volek (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Photo: Cesar I. Martins (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

The first section of the road between Tirano in Italy and St. Moritz in Switzerland was completed back in 1908

Photo: By Kabelleger / David Gubler [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: By Etiaetia1020 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The schedule of the train is very tight even in winter due to the crowds of tourists

Photo: John Seb Barber (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Photo: John Seb Barber (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Bernina Express is just one of the touristic trains. But the place where it passes is truly unique!